As expected, Anoop Mehta, president of the Bharat Diamond Bourse and Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre led this year’s crop of 20 JNA Awards recipients. The honorees were front and center during a ceremony and gala dinner held Tuesday at the InterContinental Hong Kong.
More than 600 people worldwide jewelry industry leaders attended the event, including Jean-Marc Lieberherr, managing director of Rio Tinto Diamonds, Kent Wong, managing director of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited, and ; Raphael Gübelin, CEO of Gubelin Group.
Organized by JNA, the awards gala dinner was the culmination of a year-long effort to recognize individuals and companies that are raising the bar for quality, innovation and excellence in the jewelry industry. The event was held during the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair. Only in its third year, the JNA Awards has quickly grown to become one of the most important and largest awards programs in the global jewelry industry.
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| Lychee Panna Cotta topped with the JNA Awards logo. |
Mehta received JNA’s Lifetime Achievement Award–one of the highest accolades in the global jewelry and gemstone industry and the most esteemed tribute conferred by the JNA Awards. Mehta was honored for his work at the BDB, which ensures that the diamond trade between India and the rest of the world is fair, efficient and robust.
Bin Sulayem received the “Outstanding Contribution of the Year Award” for his accomplishments on the DMCC and Dubai and on the global gemstone and jewelry industry. Under Bin Sulayem’s strong leadership, Dubai has become one of the leading diamond trading centers in the world, serving a pivotal role as the “New Silk Road.”
Other of the 2014 JNA Awards were given to the following individuals and companies:
* Brand of the Year – Retail: Paspaley
* Employer of the Year: Pandora Production Co Ltd
* Retailer of the Year: Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd
* E-tailer of the Year: Shanghai Wisdom Jewelry Trading Co Ltd (Zbird)
* Industry Innovation of the Year – Manufacturing – Business: Frank Wu Design
* Industry Innovation of the Year – Manufacturing – Technology:
* Industry Innovation of the Year – Manufacturing – Technology, China Stone Co Ltd; Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory; Diamond Services Ltd and Shenzhen United BlueOcean Technology Development Co Ltd
* Manufacturer of the Year – Diamond Cutting & Polishing: Kiran Gems Pvt Ltd.
* Manufacturer of the Year – Gem-Set Jewellery: Shenzhen Xingguangda Jewelry Industry Co Ltd.
* Manufacturer of the Year – Precious Metals-Only Jewellery: Shenzhen Bofook Jewellery Co Ltd.
* Sustainability Initiative of the Year: Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt Ltd.
* Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Age 40 or below): Shreyansh Kapoor and Zheng Huanjian
* Outstanding Enterprise of the Year – ASEAN Countries: Jewelmer Joaillerie
* Outstanding Enterprise of the Year – India: Hari Krishna Exports Pvt Ltd.
* Outstanding Enterprise of the Year – Mainland China: Shenzhen Ganlu Jewellery Co Ltd
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